SPEAKING NOTES FOR THE PREMIER OF KWAZULU-NATAL, HON. MR SIHLE ZIKALALA, ON THE OCCASION OF A MEDIA BRIEFING ON THE STATUS OF COVID – 19 IN THE PROVINCE, AND RELATED MATTERS, DURBAN, 02 FEBRUARY 2021

MEC for Health in KwaZulu-Natal, Hon. Ms Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu,

MEC for Education in KwaZulu-Natal, Hon. Mr Kwazi Mshengu

Government Officials Present,

Members of the Media,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen from the media, for honouring our invitation to this media briefing. Your presence always presents us with a very important platform to inform the people of this province, and those watching throughout the country and elsewhere, how we are doing in so far as squaring up to the massive challenge of COVID – 19.

KZN WELCOMES PRONOUNCEMENTS BY THE PRESIDENT

We wish to start by welcoming and applauding His Excellency, President of the Republic, Cyril Ramaphosa, and the National Coronavirus Command Council for the leadership they continue to provide as we navigate the health crisis of unimaginable proportions. Ahead of the first confirmed case in South Africa on March 5, the President and Cabinet have provided strong leadership in tackling Covid-19. They have all shown exemplary leadership and courage during some of the most difficult times that we have faced. We welcome the pronouncements by the President and more especially the decision to ease some of the restrictions while sustaining the country on adjusted level 3. We have cause for optimism.

ARRIVAL OF THE VACCINE A HISTORIC MOMENT

Yesterday, we witnessed the arrival of the Oxford University Astra-Zeneca vaccine from the Serum Institute of India (SII), into South African shores. As the province which had the first confirmed COVID – 19 case in the country, we are extremely delighted to be part of this giant leap by humanity, which marks the beginning of our march towards victory against this deadly virus.

This is a solemn moment to pause and reflect on the devastation that has been caused by COVID – 19 in our lives, and to remember all our loved ones who have sadly left us due to this virus, since March 2020.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the people and the Government of India for the solidarity and support. Because of them, for the first time ever, we can now boldly say that we have an even stronger and more direct line of defence against the virus, to complement the non-pharmaceutical and therapeutic treatment interventions that we have relied on heavily in the past, which we must still not abandon.

KZN IS VACCINE-READY

As the Province of KwaZulu-Natal, we have developed our own vaccination rollout plan based on guidelines set by the World Health Organisation, and National Department of Health. Our Plan focuses on the management, distribution and dispensing of the vaccine. Key to the success of this plan is co-operation between the public and private sector, as well as non-governmental, community, and faith-based organizations. The province has established a Vaccine Co-ordinating Committee, which includes private hospitals, traditional leaders, eThekwini Municipality, Health Systems Trust, Organised Labour, NGOs (PEPFAR partners), the academic sector, National Health Laboratory Service, civil society and the South African Military Health Services, among others. Across the province, all our districts have finalised vaccination distribution plans.

THE PILLARS OF OUR KZN VACCINATION PLAN

Governance and co-ordination

The Provincial Command Council will support, monitor and perform oversight over the vaccine roll-out process. All District Command Councils, led by MEC’s and Mayors will spend time in districts for the duration of the roll-out and ensure daily accountability and hands on support. The Provincial Vaccine Coordinating Committee, Chaired by the HOD for the Department of Health, which includes Unions, NGO’s, Traditional Healers, Academic sector, Civil Society, and Military Health Care services, has also been established to fast-track implementation.

The province will follow the phased approach to vaccination as follows:

Phase 1 divided into 2 categories:

A) That is, staff in direct contact with patients (health care workers and support staff)

B) Staff not in direct contact with patients (administrative and other staff)

The provincial first beneficiaries are targeted as follows:

• Public sector health care staff: 67644
• Medical doctors, dentists, pharmacists, Emergency Medical Services: 9292
• Interns: 390
• Nurses: 34 279
• Non-OSD staff: 20 417
• Allied health professional: 2639
• Engineers/artisans: 366
• Staff providing social services: 256
• Privately contracted staff working in public sector: 14625
• Traditional healers: 5939
• Military health care staff: 350
• NGO sector staff: 6699
• Environmental Health Practitioners: 360

The District Breakdown is as follows:

Identification and prioritisation of targeted Health Care Workers

A total of 163 256 health personnel from various sectors in KwaZulu-Natal are eligible to receive vaccination during the first phase, as announced by the President. These include 81000 Health Care Workers in the public sector and 49000 in the private sector.

We have developed a pre-registration system for Health Workers per facility.

Vaccination sites state of readiness:

The vaccine will arrive in KZN around 14 February 2021. Staff in direct contact with patients will be prioritised. To date, the province has identified 91 Vaccination sites, which will include all the public hospitals and Community Health Centres (CHCs). These hospitals and CHCs will be responsible for the clinics, and other sites that are part of the value chain in their catchment areas.

Monitoring and evaluation

Every vaccinated person will be observed for a while before being discharged after being vaccinated.

Communication and Awareness

A communication and social mobilization strategy has been developed to ensure that all our citizens are well informed about the vaccine and the rollout plan.

KZN COVID-19 TRENDS ANALYSIS:

When we move over to the status quo for COVID – 19 in KwaZulu-Natal, our Province has observed a decline in the number of new cases weekly. The Province of KwaZulu-Natal is currently the second-highest countrywide in terms of laboratory-confirmed cases. The overall percentage change in the number of new cases between week 3 (17 – 23 January 2021) & week 4 (24-30 January 2021) amounted to a decline of 51%. The actual number of cases was 22 608 (week 3), and 11 099 (week 4) respectively.

Over the past week, the highest number of cases received was 2 079, which was on Tuesday, 26 January 2020. The average number of cases recorded daily was 1 777 cases/day.

Due to its population size, among other factors, eThekwini District has continued to record the highest number of new cases daily. However, the proportion of daily cases has declined to below 40%.

Recently, King Cetshwayo District has been recording the second highest number of cases daily, and in fact, there were days whereby King Cetshwayo recorded more cases than eThekwini District (25 & 29 January 2021).

CONCERNS DUE TO INCREASING DEATH STATS:

We are concerned by the number of deaths reported daily. The actual number of deaths, which occurred in week 3(17-23 January 2021) was 796, and 265 for week 4(24-30 January 2021). The second wave has been more severe than the first wave in terms of the deaths in the Province.

The average number of deaths received daily over the past two weeks was 75 deaths/day. The analysis was done using date the person died, not the date of reporting.

Within the province, uMgungundlovu District has the highest death rate (124 deaths/100 000 population) followed by EThekwini District (85 deaths/100 000 population), Amajuba District (81 deaths/100 000 population) and King Cetshwayo District (81 deaths/100 000 population).

HOSPITALISATION:

The number of hospital admissions has declined, along with a decrease in the number of new cases in both public and private sector. This is also in line with the incidence and positivity rate. The number of admissions started increasing steadily from December 1, and then declined from week 3 (17 – 23 January 2021) of January 2020. The number of ICU patients has remained constant for the month of January 2020.

The province currently has 3 601 patients admitted in both private (n=2 429, 67%) and public (n=1 172, 33%) hospitals as at 31 January 2021.

Of those admitted, 483 patients (13%) required intensive care services. Among those who required intensive care, 44% (n=211) were being ventilated.

SCHOOL STATE OF READINESS FOR SCHOOL OPENING ON 15 FEBRUARY 2021

The province of KwaZulu Natal is ready for the opening of schools, on 15 February 2021. The main aim is to have the first lesson during the first hour of the first day of school.

This calls for readiness in terms of learner admission, availability of physical resources such as classrooms, stationary, textbooks, school furniture, water, sanitation, COVID-19 essentials, learner transport as well as nutritious food for learners who are beneficiaries of the National School Nutrition Programme.

Availability of human resources such as teachers, non-teaching staff (including screeners and cleaners) are very critical for the opening of schools.

AVAILABILITY OF COVID 19 ESSENTIALS

For the safety of school communities (learners, teachers and non-teaching staff) ,the Department of Education has made good progress to ensure that all the COVID-19 essentials are delivered to schools before the arrival of learners. This includes the provision of water and sanitation facilities. There is confirmation that all schools will have required COVID-19 essentials when learners arrive and this will include cloth masks for teachers and learners. It must be mentioned that schools are ready as the School Management Teams (SMTs) opened on 25 January 2021. In two districts where there is a challenge of storage space, Head Office is providing support.

LEARNER ADMISSIONS

Out of 2 771 015 learners expected to be admitted by schools in 2021, the province has already admitted 2 769 212 leaners which is 99.93%. Learner admissions have been completed in most of the grades. The unplaced learners are mainly in grades 1 and grade 8. This is understood because these are entry grades for foundation phase and secondary school phase. In order to assist parents whose children have not yet been admitted, districts have formed admission committees which will intervene in cases where learners don’t find space. The Department also expects the “walk ins” because of factors such as movement of parents from one location to another.

FILLING OF VACANT POSTS

The Department noted as early as 2020 that there are vacant posts created by attrition, retirements, promotions and even COVID-19 fatalities. These are posts for Teachers, Departmental Heads, Deputy Principals, Principals, Cleaners, Screeners and Cleaners. There is good progress in the filling of these posts. To strengthen support for school functionality and productivity, office based posts of Circuit Managers, Curriculum Specialists (Teacher Development Specialists etc. have been filled. In terms of surplus education the Department of Education had 3671 educators and 1001 of them have been placed. The Department of Education is finalising the placement of other 2670.

INFRASTRUCTURE

There are schools which were vandalised and damaged by storms during holidays, the damages will be dealt with whilst schools are in operation except for schools where damage is such that teaching and learning cannot take place. In such instances, Head Office is working with districts to ensure that schools are ready for the commencement of teaching and learning on 15 February 2021. Schools will not run short of water because water tanks were installed in schools where there is no running water. There are 18455 water tanks across the province.

TEXTBOOKS AND SCHOOL FURNITURE

One of the main requirements for schools to open is Learning and Teaching Support Material (LTSM). This includes stationery, textbooks and school furniture. There is good progress because the province has already delivered 100% of stationery. As of today the province has delivered 96.4% of textbooks and the remaining 3.6% will be delivered during the week ending on 5 February 2021. In line with White Paper 6 (Inclusive Education), the procurement of braille textbooks has been concluded and deliveries are ready to take place. Orders for “top up school furniture” were completed and 100% of school furniture is in the warehouse ready to be delivered by 15 February 2021.

NATIONAL SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAMME (NSNP)

KwaZulu-Natal has 5460 schools which are approved for benefitting from the NSNP. The number of benefitting learners is 2442744. The province is ready to roll out the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) when schools open this year. However, the Department of Education has directed schools to provide food parcels even before schools open. The province has put in place systems to monitor the percentage of learners provided with food. The central monitoring systems will be ready when schools open on 15 February 2021.

LEARNER TRANSPORTATION

For transportation of learners the province is ready. There are 85 contracts comprising of 495 buses, 19 midi-buses and 212 taxis. All these vehicles will be ready on the first day of school opening to transport 42000 learners. For the purpose of COVID-19 compliant trips, there will be notices displayed in the vehicles about the wearing of masks. The Department of Education has made plans to ensure that all contracted dedicated learner transportation vehicles have sanitisers and disinfectants when schools open.

READINESS FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING

The Department of Education has printed all the revised Annual Teaching Plans (ATP’S) from grade R to grade 12 and deliveries are underway.

TIME TABLING UNDER COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS

Time tabling options will not change drastically from last year’s options. Some schools will still need to alternate days so as to accommodate all learners whilst observing social distancing. The time tabling options will include alternating weeks, platooning, alternating days, hybridization and normal time tabling. The choice of the time tabling option will be determined by the demand for classroom space and the consumption. Thereof. The province is fully aware of the fact that the majority of schools will not be able to accommodate all learners on 15 February 2021 due to social distancing and other COVID-19 safety. With permission from the Minster of Basic Education the province will communicate the dates for a staggered return of learners to schools before 15 February 2021.

TRANSFER OF NORMS AND STANDARDS

There is progress in the transfer of norms and standards to schools. The focus is on the transfers such as allocation for textbooks and stationery. for Public Ordinary Schools, Section 20 Petty Cash, Independent Schools (2nd Tranche), Special Schools, Section 21 Learner Compensation (FTE), Section 20 Learner Compensation (FTE), SGB Subsidy, Pre-Primary Grade R for Public Ordinary Schools. Boarding Schools, Full Service Schools, Learner Deviations and Covid – cleaning and grass cutting.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the province of KwaZulu-Natal is ready to open schools for the 2021 academic year. Considerable progress is being made to address minor outstanding issues such as late admissions. School functionality visits will be conducted by oversight committees and departmental officials on the first day of schooling.   The province is also ready to implement the first phase of the Covid-19 vaccination roll-out plan.

As we conclude we advise the public that the Special Official Funeral Category 2, as designated by President Ramaphosa, for Justice Khayelihle Kenneth Mthiyane will take place tomorrow, Justice Mthiyane who served as Deputy President of the Supreme Court and Appeal and Chaired many Commissions, is best known for fighting for the transformation of the legal profession and for championing the human rights of the poor and under-privileged in KwaZulu-Natal and the rest of South Africa. The Special Official Funeral Service will take place at Sharks Board, tomorrow, Wednesday and he will be laid to rest on the same day.

I thank You.